Paul Jordan of Wildcat Blue Blog is the RTC correspondent for the Southeastern Conference.
Standings:
EAST
- Kentucky 13-0
- Tennessee 9-2
- Florida 9-3
- South Carolina 8-3
- Vanderbilt 8-3
- Georgia 6-4
WEST
- Mississippi State 11-2
- Mississippi 10-2
- LSU 8-3
- Alabama 8-4
- Arkansas 7-5
- Auburn 6-6
Kentucky remains the highest rated SEC team as they held on to the 3rd spot in both the AP Top 25 poll and the ESPN/USA Today poll. Tennessee has locked down the #14 spot in both polls while Mississippi comes in at the 16th spot in the AP Top 25, and the ESPN/USA Today voters have the Rebels at 21st. Florida has fallen out of the Top 25 in both polls but has votes in both polls still. Mississippi State is getting votes in the AP.
Kentucky’s DeMarcus Cousins was named SEC Freshman of the Week. This was the first week he’s won the honor and he averaged 16.5 points and 11.5 rebounds in UK wins over Drexel and Long Beach State. Alabama’s JaMychal Green was named the SEC Player of the Week. He had 27 pts, 13 rebs, 3 block and 1 steal in a victory over Mercer last week.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR THIS WEEK:
Finally! College basketball is back in the SEC after a couple of weeks of finals (and the holidays) and it is back with a vengeance with two bitter in-state rivalries for both Kentucky and Tennessee. Aside from that, Baylor does a curious double dip in the SEC and most of the good action is actually televised this week:
- 12/29 – LSU (8-3) @ Xavier (7-4) – 7 PM – ESPN-U
- 12/30 – Baylor (9-1) @ Arkansas (7-5) – 9PM – ESPN2
- 12/30 – South Carolina (8-3) @ Boston College (8-4) -9PM – ESPN-U
- 12/31 – Tennessee (9-2) @ Memphis (8-2) – 4:00 PM – ESPN2
- 1/2 – UAB (11-1) @ Arkansas (7-5) – 12:00 PM
- 1/2 – Baylor (9-1) @ South Carolina (8-3) – 12:00 PM – ESPN 360
- 1/2 – Southern Mississippi (8-3) @ Vanderbilt (8-3) – 3:00 PM- ESPN 360
- 1/2 – Louisville (9-3) @ Kentucky (13-0) – 3:30PM – CBS
- 1/2 – Georgia (6-4) @ Missouri (9-3) – 4:00 PM – ESPN 360
- 1/3 – Florida (9-3) @ NC State (8-3) – 3:00 PM – FSN
- 1/4 – Mississippi State (10-2) @ Western Kentucky (6-4) – 8 PM
TEAM UPDATES (ratings are AP, ESPN/USA Today)
EAST
Kentucky (#3, #3) – Not even a 1PM start time on the Wednesday before Christmas vacation could slow UK from a 13-0 start. After a sluggish first half, UK pulled away from the Long Beach State 49ers for a 86-73 win at Rupp Arena on Wednesday. John Wall led the Cats with 19 points and DeMarcus Cousins played just 13 minutes but had 15 points and 10 boards.
Tennessee (#14, #14) – On the 23rd, the Volunteers jumped out to a 22-0 lead over North Carolina A&T and never relented, winning 99-78. Tyler Smith and Kenny Hall had 16 points to lead the Vols while freshman walk-on guard Skylar McBee scored 12 points in 17 minutes.
Florida – The Gators continued their freefall after an 8-0 start. This time, it was the South Alabama Jaguars putting in a tipped shot with 1.8 seconds left to nip the Gators, 67-66. The Gators hit just 3-22 three-point attempts and were led by Alex Tyus, who poured in 16 points. Kenny Boynton added 14 as the Gators lost at home in the month of December for the first time in five years. Tyus had 20 points and nine rebounds, Boynton added 19 points and Florida snapped a three-game losing streak in a 76-60 victory over American University back on Monday night. Vernon Macklin added a career high 18 points in that one.
South Carolina – No game last week.
Vanderbilt – No game last week.
Georgia – Trey Thompkins scored a career-high 35 points and claimed 15 rebounds, leading Georgia to a 77-60 victory over Florida Atlantic on Wednesday night. Dustin Ware was the only other Bulldog in double digits with 12 points.
WEST
Mississippi State – Ravern Johnson scored 20 points and Barry Stewart added 14 and Mississippi State beat Centenary 88-51 on Tuesday night. The Bulldogs went 14-27 from beyond the three-point line and won their seventh straight game. Johnson continued his torrid play with 22 points, including 5 3-pointers, as the Bulldogs crushed the Mississippi Valley State Delta Demons 73-45 last night. Phil Turner added 12 for the Bulldogs.
Mississippi (#16, #21) – Ole Miss hung with the #6 West Virginia Mountaineers for a half, but then WVU got hot from 3-point range and dumped the Rebels, 76-66. Zach Graham had 14 points off the bench in just 19 minutes to lead the Rebels and Murphy Holloway and Eniel Polynice each had 13.
Alabama – Sophomore forward JaMychal Green scored a career-high 27 points and pulled down 13 rebounds to lead the Alabama to a 90-71 win over Mercer on Wednesday night. The Crimson Tide opened the game with a 22-2 run, holding the Bears (4-7) scoreless for the first 6:50. Mikhail Torrance and Senario Hillman each had 14.
LSU – Bo Spencer missed a contested 3-pointer in the closing seconds, and Washington State held on to defeat LSU 72-70 in overtime in the Cougar Hardwood Classic. Spencer scored 23 to lead LSU and Tasmin Mitchell added 18 points and 14 boards.
Auburn – The Tigers evened their record at 6-6 with a 94-78 victory over the Alabama State Hornets. Brendon Knox scored 18 points on 7-9 shooting in just 25 minutes off the bench to lead the Tigers while DeWayne Reed had 15 points.
Arkansas – Rotnei Clarke drained a three-pointer with 18 seconds left in overtime and then hit two free throws to seal Arkansas’ 66-62 victory over previously undefeated Missouri State on Tuesday night. The win was the Hogs’ fifth straight victory. Clarke finished with 19 points and Marshawn Powell added 17.